2007 Dodge Grand Caravan Probed Over Stalling Engines

Complaints about stalling engines in 2007 model year Dodge Grand Caravans are spurring an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

According to NHTSA documents, a total of eight complaints were filed about the defect affecting an estimated 160,000 vehicles. According to the petition NHTSA received, a defect in the fuel system can cause the engines in affected vehicles to stall without warning and that a replacement fuel tank is required to repair the flaw.

NHTSA says it will look further into the scope, frequency and safety implications of the alleged defect in affected models and others that are similarly equipped. Following that, NHTSA can upgrade the investigation to an engineering analysis before ultimately requesting a recall campaign from Chrysler if the defect.

To date, there have been three recall campaigns affecting Dodge’s minivan from the 2007 model year. In 2007, the Grand Caravan was part of a recall issued becuase certain replacement glass panels supplied by Safelite might not break into small pieces as tempered glass is meant to. In 2010, there were two Grand Caravans that had been re-purposed as wheelchair mobility vehicles recalled because the seats they were equipped with during the conversion process had a defective base pin. Finally, there was another minimal recall on two Grand Caravans converted to be used as mobility vehicles because of a defective base pin holding the seats in place.

If the investigation becomes an official recall, it would mark the first time Dodge had to recall the 2007 Grand Caravan rather than the vehicles being pulled in because of a recall being conducted by a supplier or aftermarket company.

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